KOLKATA: Kolkata Mounted Police, the country's oldest mounted police unit, seems to be discontinuing with its pre-Independence practice of recruiting sowars, civilian horse riders.
Before 1857, two sowars were part of the unit to spot ships in the harbour. After the first war of independence, the unit was additionally tasked to maintain law and order and moved to 138 SN Banerjee Road. It was scaled up with six sowars, six syces and seven horses.
At present, the mounted police has 2 inspectors, 10 sergeants, 4 head sowars, 38 sowars, 47 syces, 68 horses, 21 sepoy-constables, 5 drivers, 43 civic volunteers, 5 stableman and 3sweepers.
According to officers, sawar recruitment has been paused for now and some sepoy/constables of Kolkata Police are being trained for the position.
According to a senior officer, "Sawars are only trained to ride horses. Therefore after they reach an age of 45 to 50 years, they are physically unable to ride a horse and perform the duties. But this is also not a retirement age. It becomes difficult to place them at other police units. But constables can seamlessly be transferred to other police units when they are unable to ride."
This unit is undoubtedly the pride of Kolkata. "The mounted police is a heritage department of Kolkata Police. We are very proud of it as they have always done very well in managing even the most crowded processions, ceremonies or gatherings," says Abhra Chatterjee, OC, Kolkata Mounted Police
Earlier records show that this unit - formed in 1840, even before Kolkata Police - started with only two sowars under a dafadar or a head officer. The two worked as courier boys, informing the harbor master as and when any ship was sighted. In 1842, the force grew to have more people - one jamadar, one dafadar and 12 troopers. Maidan area became their special surveillance area.
The pre-Independence period saw the Calcutta Mounted Police to be an effective force during riots, crowd control on playgrounds, maintenance of law and order in the Maidan.
It was also the only regular mounted police force other than the mounted guard of the Governor General of India. After Independence, a sizable part of the Lt-Governor's Mounted Guard was merged with the Calcutta Mounted Police. In 2001, The Calcutta Mounted Police was renamed The Kolkata Mounted Police.
The Mounted Police also has two finest stables, one at S.N Banerjee Road with a capacity of 70 horses and another at Diamond Harbor with a capacity of 32 horses.
